History/About

Since the late 1800s, IWLA has been serving warehouse logistics organizations.

The American Warehousemen’s Association, founded late in the 19th century, represented warehouse operators’ interests primarily in their work with railroads. AWA was a founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

As warehouse logistics matured, so did the association, becoming the American Warehouse Association and then the International Warehouse Logistics Association.

IWLA is a result of the 1997 merger between the then nearly 80-year-old Canadian Association of Warehousing and Distribution Services (CAWDS) with the American Warehouse Association (AWA).

IWLA headquarters has always been in the Chicago area, now in Des Plaines, Ill.

IWLA Demographics

IWLA member companies represented range in size from 10,000-square-foot, single-city warehouses to international companies with more than 25 million square feet of warehouse space. Most member companies primarily conduct business in North America.

A 2013 Member Needs Assessment Revealed IWLA’s Current Member Profile:

Warehouse owners (84%)

Between the ages of 41 to 60 years (63%)

S-Corp (32%) or C-Corp (28%)

Have more than 16 years of experience in the warehousing logistics industry (60%)

Companies range between 11 and 500 employees (76%)

IWLA members include companies that provide many services: warehousing; fulfillment; reverse logistics; transportation; freight-forwarding and brokerage services; inventory and supply chain management; and a broad range of manufacturing and value-added services. Learn more about warehousing, transportation and third-party logistics.

IWLA HISTORY

1891 – Warehousing industry leaders form American Warehousemen’s Association and conduct the first AWA convention.

1895 – AWA Drafts the Uniform Warehouse Receipts Act.

1912 – AWA is a founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. IWLA maintains membership in this organization that is the definitive voice for U.S. business interests.

1926 – The AWA Household Goods Division breaks off and becomes part of the National Furniture Warehouse Association.

1940s – AWA members assist with domestic logistics efforts.

1945 – AWA receives citation from President Truman for distinguished service in the war/transportation field.

Late 1940s – Federal highway growth precipitates a change in public warehousing: There is a decline in public warehousing in small towns, but an increase in the number and size of public merchandise warehousing in larger cities. AWA membership demographics reflect this shift.

1947 – AWA and the National Materials Handling Association introduce mechanical handling equipment to the distribution industry during the 56th AWA Annual Meeting. This advent opens the era of the forklift truck and pallet – a revolution that provides the basis for the public warehouseman’s flexibility and economy of operations.

1952 – AWA leads the charge for adoption of the Uniform Commercial Code.

1961 – The AWA Refrigerated Warehouse Division splits to start the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses. AWA keeps the name for merchandise warehousing.